Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1887-08-06
FNpTNG MURRELL,s cAYR.
CHASTITY Sights in the Long-FOrgotten hid
tng-PIacs OF a Tennessee Bandit.

GhastIy Sights In the LOng-FOrgOttzn hid
tng-Plaos Of a Tennessee Bandit.
We left Huntington, Tenn, for the
southwestern portion of this county for
a few days bird and squirrel hunt,
says writer in the Nashville World.
| While following a rocky branch known
as the Gin branch we came TO where If
skirted the margin of a high hill Our
setter Charley made a dash at a rabbit,
and both rabbit and Charley disap-
peared in the hill The entrance was
what we supposed to be a creyice in the
! rocks; in a moment the bats came pour
ing out by the hundreds. The weather
being chilly they fell to the ground in
| a stuper as soon as the air struck them.
| Their slumbers had been disturbed by
the dog.
We were enjoying the fun when, to
| our establishment, several large horn
owls came Topping out-one gave a
dismal boot, as though he had not seen
| daylight in years, or wished to brighten
US away. Becoming uneasy for fear
our dog could not retreat, Mr.. Lee
went to the entrance Of the cave. TAX
/ ing a pole and probing some six feet,
he found it made an abrupt angle to
/ the right; the opening was barely suf-
| ter; he grouped his way until it be-
! came so dark that he returned and said
that 1t opened OubintO what he believed
| to be a large hall, and that he could
| hear Charley running around and whin-
/ ing, as though be was lost and could
not ind his way out. We sent to q
/ ueighbOring house and procured q
/ lantern, determined to rescue Charley
at all hazards. With lantern IL hand
we both entered, compelled to crawl
| on hands and knees for some distance
/ before we could walk erect; the en-
/ trance turned first to the right, then to
| the left, in a ZigZag form Finally we
met Charley, and his bark as it echoed
! and re-echOed, astOnished US to such an
| extent that we raised our lantern over
our heads, which threw a bright light
around.
We were in a large room, ceilled on
| all sides and overhead with rude clap
/ boards. Before us sat a large table
with a mutilated pack of cards ID the
| center; heavy wooden chairs around
/ the table; a couple of large and rough
/ shOp-made knives on one corner. As
| soon as We could collect our senses and
| calm our staggered brain we found we
| were IN a secret cave that had once
/ been occupied by a band Of outlaws,
! but who or when was the question In
| surveying the room, which was Is by
| Is, we found In one corner a black
/ something. Holding the light close our
| blood was chilled. 1t was . large black
man, his skin and flesh as dry as those
/ who in ancient days We're given passage
| over Styx. A large and rough-made
/ chain was locked around his ankle and
fastened to a staple in the floor II
/ the opposite corner lay the dried
! frames Of two huge bloOdhOunds; in an
| old heavy wooden box was found two
/ Old-fashioned horse pistols with flint
| locks; they had undoubtedly done
/ service in the revolution; there were
| also several pairs of handouts. We
! began to think that we We're in the re-
| giOn Of the damned. When looking on
] the rough wall there we saw "the
J handwriting" 1t was a ohm A. Muir
/ rell, 1928. We were in the great out
| laws den; We could then see that the
man chained had been stolen by the
old bandit-brought there and chained
until they could run him south and Sc II
| him. The presumption Is that when
the cave was deserted ne was alive; the
doom was sure, but what agony he un-
derwent-chained and alOne-his face,
like Millions devil, "grinned horribly
a CHASTITY smile. " The blOOdhOunds
had been kept for the purpose of re-
capturing any slave that might escape.
John A Marrell was born in Morgan
County, Tennessee. When a boy he
was considered a spry and promising
lad. After a few love scrapes he be-
came reckless and wandered out into
the mountains of North Carolina and
Tennessee-preaching. hOrse-stealing,
bagging negroes, throat-cutting, and
blacksmithing, He served q long time
in the penitentiary and preached to the
! conyicts. Johns voice could always
be heard in prayer at a big camp-meet
ing, and the deacOns and elders often
had to walk home. The little house
in which he died is still standing IL
Pikeville, Bledsoe County, Tenn. On
his death-bed he wanted to make {
dead-out confession, but was gagged
and cOmforted by friends, who eX
claimed: Great God, John, dom
give US all away" Johns bones nov
rest at SMYRNA.